The concern for the loss of honey bees in Kentucky prompted the Martin County Agriculture Advisory Council to organize a group of leaders to form the Martin County Beekeepers Association.  The group is not only active in replenishing the honeybee population, but now have become very active in honeybee research.

The end results of this research sponsored by NASA will not only affect the county but the state and nation as this information gathered will help discover the answer to the cause of the decline in honeybee population.

The Martin County Extension Service serves as sponsor to the Martin County Beekeepers Association and facilities educational programs for the group.

The Beekeepers Association has over ninety members with average monthly attendance of forty-seven.  The Association has members from three surrounding counties and targets anyone interested in replenishing the honeybee population.

Each monthly meeting has educational activities ranging from local beekeepers as presenters to guest speakers from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife and representatives from beekeeping supply companies.

As a result of the educational effort from the Extension Service and the results of the information gathered from research local beekeepers have changed the methods of keeping honeybees and are now more successful.  This year the members of the Association reported producing over 3,000 pints of honey with a value of $24,000.00.